


Say Something

by becca_the_quiet_one



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Coming Out, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Mild mention of blood, Sadness, There is no romance here, do not come looking for pidge/lance, this has no relation to the song, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-05 22:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12198984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/becca_the_quiet_one/pseuds/becca_the_quiet_one
Summary: How Pidge got into video games and what they mean to her.It's time for Lance to say some things long overdue.takes place between Space Mall and the last episode of season two.





	Say Something

When Team Voltron had gotten stuck on a planet with inoperable lions, they thought they would be fine. As if the universe was laughing at them, that was the exact time that the Galra forces had showed up.

Fighting on foot was a dangerous option even by Lances standards, so they chose to run.

But it wasn’t enough, and Lance and Pidge found themselves separated from the rest of the group, running for their lives.

Or at least Lance was.

“Hey, stay with me Pidge.” He pushed her up a little higher on his back, ignoring the slick of blood coating the back of his armor.

“I’m trying.” Her voice was laced with pain, and while she was always tiny, she felt even lighter than usual. “Besides, where am I gonna go?”

“Let’s not find out.”

“Deal.”

They were silent again as Lance tried to figure out how he was going to find the castle and somehow keep his teammate alive.

“I know you’re in pain right now, but I feel like I should thank you for pushing Keith out if the way.”

“Well, he’s second in command, he takes priority.” Pidge breathed in a few shallow breaths

Her words almost made Lance stop running completely. “What are you talking about?”

“Y’know, he’s…” Her words started slurring.

“Hey, come on, keep talking..”

“I heard him and Shiro talking. If something happens to Shiro, he wants Keith to lead Voltron.” She laughed. “I don’t think I was supposed to tell you that...“

Lance would find time to be shocked later. “You’re our hacker though, way more important than that mullet.”

“Nah, I don’t think I’m doing anything someone else could.” she paused. “Though, I am doing it faster… I take it back, I’m awesome.”

In spite of the dire situation, Lance laughed. “Theres the Pidge we know and love.”

“Thanks.” 

“So,” Lance started, trying not to betray how frantic he was. “How about when we get back we play a little Demonsphere, eh?”

“Still can’t hook up the console Lance.”

“Even after getting stabbed you still find a way to one-up me. Nice job.”

“Hey, piloting the green lions just a hobby. Finding ways to make people look stupid is a passion.”

“I thought you were working on making aa adapter for the system?” Lance started to feel his legs get tired, but he kept pushing and silently thanked Shiro for making them run for endurance.

“Well yeah but it’s not finished.” she said, voice growing quieter. “ I’ll do that if I get back.”

“When,” Lance corrected. “When we get back to the castle, you’re gonna finish making that adapter and we can kick each others butts on a really old video game.”

He expected Pidge to have a sarcastic remark about how she was better, but she was worryingly silent.

“So,” He tried “How did you even get into video games in the first place?”

This provoked a response. “Matt taught me when I was little.”

“Oh, really?” Pidge rarely talked about her family with anyone but Shiro. “There’s gotta be a story there right? Tell me.”

“Okay.” she placed her head on his shoulder. “When I was maybe four, iI basically idolized my brother, right? Like most kids do.”

Lance nodded. He had many siblings, so he could relate. “Right.”

“Well, he was the best big brother, and I never had to beg to go anywhere with him, because he took me without even needing to ask.” Pidge took a deep breathe. Lance wasn’t sure if it was from her injury or from possible lumps in her throat.

“He got a video game system for his birthday that year, and he spent a really long time playing it. Like, a really long amount f time. I was jealous.” She laughed. “It was a Mercury Gameflux 2, now that I think about it.”

“That’s an odd coincidence.”

“Right. Well, like the sneaky preschooler I was, I snuck into his room one day to see what he was doing. Except he wasn’t there, he was at some science fair.”

“Your brother sounds like a geek.”

“The very geekiest. Anyways, I saw the game system in his room, and I thought that if I destroyed it, he would have to spend more time with me then.

“Oh no,” Lance laughed. “You didn’t.”

“I did. Except it didn’t work.That night he went right up to his room and didn’t come back down.’

“Why not?”

“Apparently all I did was unplug it.” she let out a huff. “Oh how times have changed.”

“Definitely. So what happened?”

“I threw a tantrum. Kicking, screaming, crying, the whole nine yards.”

“It’s hard to even imagine you throwing a tantrum.”

“It didn’t happen often. When i finally calmed down enough to explain what was going on, Matt started laughing at me.”

“Well that probably didn’t make you feel good as a toddler.”

“It wouldn’t make me feel good now. Anyway, he took me up to his room and started explaining what it was and how to play. Than he handed me the second controller on the condition that I not try to eat it. Which I did not.”

“I’m sure.”  
“I didn’t! He taught me how to play some Mario game, and I really enjoyed it. Both the game and the fact that he was spending time with me again.” 

“He sounds awesome.”

“He is.”

“Well, I can’t wait to meet him.”

PIdge was silent.

“Pidge. Pidge! Hey, wake up.” LAnce panicked.

She said nothing.

“Katie?” He tried again.

“Okay, don’t panic.” Lance said frantically to himself. “HELLO!?!?!?! IS ANYONE THERE?!?!?!?!”  
________________________________________________________________________________

Pidge looked very peaceful in those healing pods, Lance thought. Her eyes were closed and her posture looked relaxed, almost like she was sleeping. 

“Coran, any idea when she might be done in there?”

“Sorry Lad, I’ve got no idea.” The altean said. “Probably soon though, as her injuries are mostly healed.”

“Then why is she still in there?” He was relieved she was safe, yes, but it seemed there were some things they needed to talk about.

“Impossible to say.” Coran stroked his mustache thoughtfully. “Maybe she’s waiting for something?”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “Is she conscious in there?”

“It takes a very strong willed person to take control in a healing pod.” Corans eyes drifted from Pidge. “But it can speed up the healing process, and sometimes make you even stronger.”

“Well, the strong willed part sounds like Pidge,” Lance said proudly, “But I don’t know how she could be any stronger than she already is.”

“I agree.” Coran patted the side of the capsule and turned to leave. “I’ve got faith in number five.”

“Yeah.” Lance was silent, and Coran turned to the kitchen to begin making dinner.

Lance took a deep breath. He placed his hand up against the glass of the pod and leaned against it.

“Hey Pidge, I know you can hear me in there.” Lance chuckled. “Then again, you might not actually be listening.”

“This is just like being back at the garrison, huh.” Lance leaned the rest of his body against the pod. “I’d make you listen to me talk about girls for hours while we were in the simulator. I never did apologize for that, did I?”

Pidge remained silent in the capsule.

“Guess not.” His face hardened. “I’m sorry Pidge.”

He covered his face and took a deep breath. “That was really stupid in hindsight, everything I used to say about those girls. Especially since I like guys too.”

Lance breathed a humorless chuckle. ”I haven’t told that to anyone yet. It feels...good? I don’t know, I just wish you would come out and say something.” Lance laughed this time, but there was no happiness in it. “Sort of like I just did.”

She said nothing.

“Anything,” Lance tried. “You can call me an idiot, or stupid or a freak, just please get better and say something to me.”

Lance felt his anger and frustration with himself run deeper. He took a few deep breaths. 

“I know I haven’t always been a good teammate.” Lance kept taking deep breaths. “I never listened to you, and I never took anyone seriously. Or anything.”

“But it’s how I am, and that isn’t going to change.” Lance swallowed the lump in his throat. “I make jokes because I’m trying. Really hard actually, I just… can’t be serious about some stuff, or…” Lance took a deep breath and wiped away the corners of his eyes.

“So now you know more about me then you did ten minutes ago.” He furiously dabbed at the tears that were threatening to fall. “I guess that’s fair after you told me about your brother and all.”  
“So,” Lance stepped away from the pod with his back turned. “Let’s start over.”

He turned back towards the pod, a plastered on smile over his stained cheeks. “Hi, I’m Lance, the pilot of the blue lion. I’m really bi, I love flirting, my friends, and video games. Speaking of which…”

He pulled out a grey metal box that appeared to be held together with glue and tape. “I finished that adapter for you. Well, really it was mostly Hunk and Shiro, but you get the point.”

“So, now we can play together! We’ve just got to wait for you to come out!”

Pidge still remained silent and unmoving.

“Still nothing, huh?” Lance sighed and sat cross-legged in front if the pod, facing Pidges body. “Well, you do need to rest if you’re gonna kick my butt at this game.”

Lance smiled, a real one this time. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've written without romance. Go figure.
> 
> All constructive comments and criticism are appreciated.


End file.
